Control apparatus for internal combustion engines



L. LEE,v 2D

oa, 5, 194s.

cONTRoL APBARATUSv FOR INTERNAL-CQMBUSTION ENGINES QrginaLFilod Nov. 9, 1944 3 Sheets-Sheet l .0% 5,1948- L. |.EE,2D I 2,450,834

vCONTROL APPARATUS FOR 'INTEl'NAL-COMBUSTION ENGINES origina; Filedjnov. 9, 1944 l f :s sheets-sheet 2 y//l//I .lso

FIG' 4 12 |25 WA a las R l 'sa t ro MANUAL.

. A @.1 BMEP commi.

To muon TIMING CONTROL IN VEN TOR.

oct-5, 1948. LQ LEE. an 2,450,834

CONTROL APPARATUS FOR INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINES Original Filed Nov. 9, 1944 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 To mmm. f BMEP conmoL INVENTOR.

. 5x5-gam za- J7- I Patented Oct. 5, 1948 CONTROL APPARATUS FOR INTERNAL- COMBUSTION ENGINES Leighton, n, wast Hartford, conn., assirnor, bymesne assignments, to Niles-Bement-Pond Company, West Hartl' oi New Jersey ord, Conn., a corporation original appiioation November s, 1944, serial No.

'I'he present invention relates to apparatus for controlling internal combustion engines, in particular, to apparatus controlling supplies of fuel and air to such an engine and for controlling the ignition timing on such an engine.

In my co-pending application, Serial No. 562,715, tiled November 9, 1944, now Patent No; 2,443,419, ofwhich the present application is a division, I'have provided a system which responds to brake mean effective pressure, and controls the throttle of an internal combustion engine in order to maintain a' substantially constant brake mean effective pressure. d

An object of the present invention is to provide means for coordinating the ignition timing of an internal combustion engine with the brake mean eiective pressure of-that engine.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from a consideration of the appended specification, claims and drawing, in which Figure 1 il1ustrates,somewhat diagrammatically,.apparatus for controlling the supply of fuel and combustion air to an internal combustion engine inaccordance with the principles of my invention,

Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view of the fuel Divided and this application December 6, 1945, Serial No. 633,168

4 claims. (ci. 12a-nr) boost Venturi 28. The valve 26 is' positioned by a sealed bellows 32. This bellows 32 preferably contains a temperature responsivevi'luid, so that the position of valve. 24 is determined by both the ,pressure and the temperatureof the air in chamber 28. Bythe operation of valve 26, the air lil .pressure differential set up between the entrance and throat of the boost Venturi 28 is corrected to produce a true measure of the mass of air flowing per unit time thru the conduit I0. The

' action ofthe bellows 32 and valve 24 as a pressure and temperature' compensator lis more fully described and claimed in the co-pending application of Harold F. Twyman, Serial No. 486,599, iiled May l1, 1943, now Patent No. 2,391,755.

The pressure at the throat of boost Venturi 28 is communicated thru a passage 34 to the interior the pressure diierential set up in the boost Veninjection pump which may be controlled by the apparatus of Figure 1,

Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line 3--3 of Figure 1, looking in the direction FIGURE 1 There is shown at Ili'an air induction conduit 4having an entrance i2, a Venturi restriction i4,

a throttle I6, and an outlet I8."

A portion of the air entering the conduit I0 flows thru a plurality of impact tubes 20, -whose ends are open to receive the impact of the ilowing air., From the impact tubes, this air flows thru a passage 22 'interconnecting the impact tubes, and thence past a valve 24 into a chamber 26. From the chamber 26 the air iiows thru a boost Venturi 28 and thence thru a conduit 80 to the throat offVenturi I4.

The pressure differential set up by air iiowing Y thru the passage just traced, which includes the I thru the main Venturi I4 produces a flow of air the engine.

turi 28, and its position is consequently a measure of the mass of air flowing thru the air induction passage I0, perunit time.

The free end of bellows 36 is attached to and positions an elongated spool valve 38 having five lands, 40, 42, 44, 46 and 41, cooperating with ports 4I, 43, 45,' 48, and 5i, respectively.

Fuel for the 4engine comes from a tank or otherv source not shown and passes thru a conduit 48, a pump 50 of the rotary sliding vane type, a conduit 52, another rotary pump 54, a conduit 56, a mixture control unit 58, conduits and 62,y a jet system 64, and a conduit 86 to a set, of fuel injection pumps for the cylinders oi A common form of, fuel injection pump is illustrated in Figure 2.l

The pump 50 is driven by an electric motor schematically indicated at 68. The ,pressure at the outlet of pump 50 is regulated by a pressure relief valve shown diagrammatlcally at 10.- The pump 54 is preferably driven by the engine. The outlet pressure of the pump 54 is likewise controlled by a. pressure relief valve schematically indicated at 12. `The relief valves 10 and 1| may be of the type shown in the patent to Storch et al. No. 2,157,089, in which a by-pass valve is provided to allow fuel to pass thru the valve toward the en-` gine when its associated pump is not functioning.

The mixture control unit 58 includes a `disc valve 14 atta'ched to a shaft 16. When the valve 14 isdn the position shown in full lines in the drawing, fuel may iiow from the mixture control 3 unit to the iet system only thru the conduit 80. When the disc valve 14 is in the dotted line position shown in the drawing, fuel can flow from the mixture control unit to the jet system thru both the conduits 60 and 62. The full line position of the mixture control is known as the lean" position, while the dotted line position-is known vas the rich position. The valve 14 may also be moved to a position wherein both the conduits 80 and 82 are closed, which is known as th the jet system whenever that pressure differentiall exceeds a value determined by the characteristics of spring 38- and the area of the valve seat.

The opening thru jet 82 is controlled by a valve 06 biased toppen position by a spring 90. The valve 80y is moved toward closed position by the fuel pressure differential when the latter exceeds a value determined by the characteristics of spring 00. The restriction 82 is open only at low fuel pressure differentials, and is known as the idle jet.

Fuel entering the jet system thru conduit 62 flows thru a fixed restriction 92. Fuel passing thru the restrictions 80 and 92 also passes thru a limiting restriction 94 before leaving the jet system thru the conduit 66.

For a given fixed cross-sectional area of the path open to the iiow of fuel thru the jet system 08. the fuel pressure differential across that system is a measure of the ow of fuel.

The valve 38 passes thru the cent'er of a casing `536 which is divided into two expansible chambers 98 and |00 by a flexible diaphragm |02. The fuel pressure in the conduit 56 upstream from the jet system 64 is communicated to the chamber 98 thru a conduit |04. The fuel pressure in the conduit 68 downstream from the jet system 64 is communicated to the chamber thru a conduit |06. The diaphragm |02 is attached at its center to an elongated ,cylindrical seat member |08, thru which ports 49 and 5| extendradiany. A spring |i0 biases the diaphragm 02 and the seat member |08 to theleft, as viewed in the drawing.

The valve 38 and seat member |08 cooperate to control the iiow of fuel from conduit 56 either thru conduit |04, port and a conduit ||8 to the right end of a cylinder ||9 in -a piston type fluid motor generally indicated at H4, or thru a conduit ||2, port 45 and a conduit |6 to the left end of the cylinder 'I I9 in the fluid motor H4.

The piston |20 of fluid motor 4 is connected by a rod |22 to a mechanism for controlling the YThe ports 4| and 43 extend radially thru an-l other elongated cylindrical seat member |26. The port 45 is formed by the space between the adjacent ends of seat members |08 and I 26. The left end of the seat member |26 is enlarged and is provided with an internal bore extending in 4 wardly from its left. end. A shaft |23 extends into this bore. The shaft |28 is connected to the seat member |26 by a pair of Woodruff keys |30, which slide in keyways |3| in the seat member so thatseat member |26 rotates with shaft |26 but is movable longitudinally with respect to it.

The outer surface of the enlarged left end |21 of seat member |26 is provided with a helical groove |32. The end |21 is surrounded by a cup |34 which carries a pin |38 extending into the helical groove |32. The cup |34 is rotatable by means of an arm |38 connected to the propeller speed governing mechanism, so that the angular position of cup v|34 is a measure ofthe engine speed. j

It may be seen that upon rotation of arm |36. the pin |36, riding in the groove |32, causesa longitudinal movement of seat member |26. The construction is such that movement of arm |38 in a direction indicative of increasing speed causes a movement of seat member |26 to the right. It may also be seen that a rotation of shaft |28 by means of manual control lever |29,

while the arm-|38 is held stationary, will likewise cause a longitudinal movement of seat member |26 by the cooperation'of pin |38 and groove |32. The device is so constructed that a movement of lever |29 in a direction indicative of increased brake mean effective pressure causes a movement of seat member |26 to the right.

The seat member |26 cooperates with lands 40, 42 and 44 on the valve 38 to control the ow of fuel from conduit 56 either thru conduit 2 and a conduit to the right end of a cylinder |42 in a iiuid motor |44 or thru conduits |48 and |48 to the left end of cylinder |42. The uid motor |44 has a piston |46 which is connected thru a rod |48 and a link |50 to an arm |52 attached to the shaft of throttle I8.

Frcrmr: 2.-

There is illustrated in Figure 2 a common form of injection pump used with internal combustion engines. The pump illustrated is lfor a single cylinder, and a set of such pumps is usually provided, corresponding in number to the number of cylinders in the engine. vThe pump includes a plunger |54 which is reciprocated in a cylinder |56 by means of a cam |58 acting on the upper end of the plunger. The cam |58 is fixed on a shaft |60 which is rotated by the engine. A pinion gear |62 is attached to the plunger |54 near its upper end, above the cylinder |66. The pinion gear |82 cooperates with a rack |64 operated by the piston rod |22 of Figure l. The lateral surface of the pump plunger is cut away, as indicated at |66. One end of the cut-away portion is provided with a generally helical contour, shown at |68. The cut-away portion |66 of the plunger |54 cooperates with ports |10 which extend thru the cylinder |58 to a chamber |12 in communication with the fuel conduit 68.

When the ports |10 are completely covered by the raised portions of the lateral surface of plunger |54, a pressure is created onthe fuel below the piston, and the pump discharges thru a check valve |14 and a conduit |16 to an injector nozzle |18 located in one of the cylinders |80 ofl As soon as the cut-away portion |66 the engine. uncovers one of the ports |10, the pressure ahead of .the pump plunger is relieved, .and pumping ceases. of the helical contour |58, the effective length of the pumping stroke may be varied by rotation ofv Itmay, therefore, be seen that by virtue v'attacca the plunger |84, which is accomplished by move-` mentofracl |64. l l 1 `Operation of Faures v1 and ,2

By manipulation oi' the manual control lever |29, the operator of the engine may set the value of brake mean effectivel pressure which he wishes to aintain. Under normal conditions, this pressur would be selected at the value which corresponds to the highest efllciency. The arm |88 is connected to the propeller speed governor so that its position is a measure of the engine speed. The manual lever |29vand the arm |88,cooperate, as previously explained. to set the position of seat member |26 at a position which is a measure of the air iiow necessary to give the desired B.M.

. E. P. at the particular speed existing. If the rate oi' air flow actually existing is then the correct value, the relative positions of the valve 88 and Y the seat member |26 .are such that the lands 48. 42 and 44 on the valve 38 close their associated ports and the throttle remains in its previous position. If. however, the rate oLiloW of airis too low, then the position of valve 98, which is a measure f the existing air flow, is displaced to the left, with respect to seat member |26, -from the position shown in the drawing. The port 4| associated with the land 48 is now opened to permit the flow of fuel under high pressure from conduit |46 to conduit |48 and the left ed of cyl-inder |42 in fluid motor |44. At the same time, the port associated with the land 42 is opened to permit thel draining of-fuel from the righ't end v-of cylinder |42 thru conduits =|48 and |24 to the inlet side of pump 54. The pressure differential thereby applied to piston |46 causes it to move to the right, opening the throttle I6. The opening movement of 'the throttle causes an increase in the air' ilow ud a contraction 0f bellows 86, moving valve 98 o the right. 'I'his increase in air flow and movement of valve 38 continues until the Alands 48, 42 Iand 44 close'their respective ports.

. It wiiiibe readiiy understood 'that if the air flow is too high for the selected B. M. E. P. and the existing engine speed, the bellows 36 displaces the valve 38 to the right with respect to the seat nember |28 and the fluid motor |44 then responds to close the throttle |6 until the air flow is reduced to the proper value.

The fluid motor ||4, which operates `the rack |84 or the injector pumps,'is controlled by the relative positions .of valve 38 and seat .member "|88, The iluid motor ||4 operates the injector.

pump racks to control the injector pump capacity so as to lbalancethe fuel ilow against the air iow, and maintain the fuel-to-air ratio at the desired value. 'Ihe pressure drop across the jet system 64 is applied to th-e diaphragm' |82 to position the seat member |88. The pressure differential across the jet system is therefore balanced against the rate of air flow. This fuel pressure Ydifferential 'is a true measure of the fuel now only for a constant open cross-sectional area of the fuel flow path thru the jet system. The apparatus described therefore produces a substantially constant fuel-to-air ratio only so long as the cross-sectional area of the jet system open to the ow of fuel is not varied. Means have been provided to' vary this cross-secti-onal area /70 automatically under certain conditions or to vary it manually order to con'trol the fuel-to-air ratio.

Two devices are xprovided for automatically varying the open cross-sectional area of the fuel e ow path thru the .iet system. Oneof these is the idle .iet valve 88 and the other is the enrich-y men-t valve 84. The idle valve 88 opens whenever the fuel pressure differential is below a predetermined small value corresponding to a low,

the mix-ture. This is used under high power out put conditions, as at take-oil', or when climbing. The .iet 921s designed to give a fuel-to-air ratio selected for maximum .power output,

The eniichment valve 84 opens at high fuel pressure differentials in order to 4increase the richness of the mixture under high engine power output conditions. The purpose of the enrichment. valve is to decrease the operating temperature of the engine by enriching the mixture, and to decrease any tendency toward de'tonation. Alsofif the :let 92 is closed, it automatically changes the fuel-to-air ratio toward the value for maximum power output, when the power output exceeds a predetermined value.

Freuen 4 ignition timing control rod |82.

n is desirable to advance the ignition timing, if possible; when operating with a lean mixture in order to secure maximum economy and eill ciency. When the engine is operating at idlingspeeds, however, it is necessary to retardthe ig,-4 n-ition timing in order to prevent a condition wherein ignition occurs before the piston reaches its top dead center, known as pre-ignition. It is also necessary to retard the ignition under high B. M. E, P. conditions to avoid de'tonation. 'Ihese conditions may be met by operating the controls to advance the ignition timingwhen the B. M. y

E. P, is in an intermediate range of values, and to retard the ignition timing under high pressure conditions and also under low pressure conditions, which correspond to idling conditions.

In the arrangement shown in Figure 4, the ignition timing control rod |82 is pivotally attached atlts upper end to the center of a floating lever |84. The left end of lever |84 carries apin |88 operating in a slot |88 in an arm |98 attached to the mixture control shaft 16. The construction -is such that when the mixture control shaft is moved counterclockwise from its lean to its rich position the pin |86 is moved upwardly, thereby carrying the lever |82 upwardly and retarding the .ignition timing. Similarly, when the shaft 'i6 is moved in a clockwise direction from its rich to its lea-n position, the pin |86 is moved downwardly, thereby carrying the rod |82 downwardly 'I vand advancing the ignition timing,

The lright end of lever |84 is pivotally attached' to lthe lower end of a link |92', whose upper end is attached to an intermediate point on the lever |29. When the manual B. M. E. P. control is set at its'most efficient position, the arm |29 is in the position illustrated in the drawing, so that the arm |92 is at its lowest point, and hence the right end of lever |84 is likewise at its lowest point, and the ignition timing control rod ,|82 is -in its most advanced position.A as far as theoperation is found to be desirable.

B M. E. P. control is concerned. The lever |28 |83 pivoted about its upper end, as it appearsin Figure 4. When it is rotated in either direction from the position shown in Figure 4. the link |92 and the right end of lever |84 are moved upwardly, thereby moving the ignition timing control rod |82 in a direction to retard the ignition timing.

Fromm f There is illustrated in this figure a modified form of the control linkage shown in Figure 4*. In the arrangement shown in Figure 5, means are, provided to selectively position the. mixture control shaft 'I-B either automatically in accordance with the setting of the B. M. E. P. control or manually. In Figure 5, those elements which correspond to equivalent elements in Figure 4 have been given the same reference numerals, and those elements will not be additionally described.4

The pin |88 at the left end of lever |83 moves in a slot 380 in an arm 382 which may be posinoned by a knob 384. An arm sas is attached te the mixture control shaft 18, and is provided with a slot 388. A pin 380, located at one end of ausm, e

. I 8 responding direction, altho it is still varied with the setting of the B. M. E. P. control.

d Altho my invention has been described as applied to a fuel supply system of the time in which the fuel is injected as a liquid directly into thecylinder head, it could be applied with equal a pair of toggle links 392 and 384, moves in a slot n 388. The links 392 and 384 are pivoted together and to a connecting link 396. The opposite ends oi the links 392 and 89A are connected by a spring 398. The right end of link 394 is xed, and the left end of link 392 moves between a pair of stops i 39| and 393.

When the knob 388 is in the position illustrated in the drawing, the mixture control shaft i6 is positioned by the movement of the B. M. E, P. control arm |29. As the right end of lever |84 moves upwardly, the connecting link 396 is moved upwardly until the toggle links 382 and 38B go over center, whereupon the spring 358 snaps the links to a position wherein link 392 engages stop 393, thereby moving the mixture control shaft 16 clockwise to its rich position. Similarly, when the shaft 16 is in its rich position and the right end of lever |84 is moved downwardly, 'the shaft 16 is moved to its lean position as soon as the toggle links go past the center position wherein they are aligned with the spring 388.

. When the mixture control knob 384 is moved counterclockwise to the dotted position marked R in the drawing, the left end of lever |84 and the link 396 are moved upwardly until the toggle mechanism goes over center and moves the mixture control shaft 'i6 to the rich' xposition. The various links are so proportioned Jhat when the left end of lever I 84 is so moved upwardly, the downward movement of the right end of lever |84 by Vthe B. M. E. P. control mechanism cannot cause a movement of the shaft 16 to its lean position. Likewise, when the manual mixture control knob is moved to the dotted line position marked L in the drawing, the mixture control shaft 18 is moved to its lean position and the B. M. E. P. control cannot thenmove to its'i'ich position.

It is desirable to have the fuel-to-air ratio lean when the ignition timing is advanced and to have the fuel-to-air ratio rich when the ignition timing is retarded. When the knob 384 is set in automatic position those conditions of operation are maintained. However, by manipulating the knob 384, the mixture control may be positively facility to a system of the type in which the fuel and air are mixed before being drawn'or forced into the engine. For example, the uid motor i could be used in such an arrangement to position a suitable fuel flow controlling valve mechanism.'

While I have shown and describedcertain preferred embodiments of my invention, other modications thereof will readily occur to those skilled in the art, and I therefore intend my invention to be limited only'by the appended claims.

I claim as my invention: l

l. Control apparatus for an internal combustion engine, comprising ignition timing control means including a member movable between a` rst position corresponding to advanced ignition timing and a second position corresponding to retarded .ignition timing, mixture control means including a member manually movable between a first position indicatives-of a rich fuel and air mixture and a second position indicative of a lean fuel and air mixture, a direct connection between said manuallymovable member and said ignition timing control member to move the latter positively toward said advanced position as said manually movable member moves to said lean position and to move said ignition timing control member positively toward said retarded position as said manually movable member is moved to saidrich position, means for controlling the brake `mean effective pressure of said engine including a manual control element, governor means for controlling the speed of said engine to maintain said speed at a selected value, selector means associated with said governor means for varying said' selected value, said selector' means being operable in all positions of said manual control element, means responsive to said selector means and to the position of said element for controlling the power output of. said engine to maintain a value of brake mean effective pressure determined by the position of said element and unaffected by variations in said selected speed, and va con nection between said control element and said ignition timing control member for operating said 'control member to advance the ignition timing when the brake mean effective pressure is in an intermediate range of values and to retard said ignition timing whenvsaid brake mean effective pressure has either a high or a low value.

2. Control. apparatus as in claim 1, in which said connections betweenl said manually movable member and said ignition timing control member and between said control element and said ignition timing control member comprise a floating lever, a pivotal connection between an intermediate point on said lever and said ignition timing control member, a pivotal connection between one end of said lever and said manually movable member, and a connection between. the other end of said lever and said control element.

3. Control apparatus as in claim 2, in which vsaid control element is a crank arm movable moved to its' rich or lean positions regardless of the position of the B. M. E; P. control, if such When the thru an 'angle corresponding to the range of said brake mean eiective pressure, and said lastmentioned connection is a link connecting said arm and said other end of the lever and aligned with said arm when the latteris in an intermediate position.

controlling the'brake mean eilective pressure oi! said engine', a connection between said brake mean eiective pressure control means and the end of said lever farthest from said point, said brake mean effective pressure control means being capable oi moving said farthest end over a limited range of movement, a manually movable control element, a connection between said element and the end ot said lever nearest said point. said element and its associated connection being effective to move said nearest end between a iirst position wherein the range of movement oi said s 10 point on said lever.

farthest end is sufficient to operate said member thru said toggle and a second position wherein said range ot movement is not sumeient to operate said'mer'nber. ignition timing control means including a member movable between a first position corresponding to advanced ignition timing and a second position corresponding to retarded ignition timing. and a connection between said ignition timing control member and a central LEIGHTON LEE. II.

:immens crrnn The following references are of record in the 16 me of this patent:

UNrrnD srs'rasrmm'rs Number Name Date 1,483,883 Hillhouse Feb. 19. 1924 20 1,761,538 Schwager June 3, 1930 2,094,800 Timian et al. Oct. 5, 1937 2,217,384 Halford et al. Oct. 8, 1940 

